Page 39 of Mysterious Teacher : Arrival
“Drink,” the old woman whispered. “Drink. Feed. Build back your energy. My blood is rich.”
“But I am not worthy to be saved,” Sonya said.“My people...so many have died.I couldn’t have saved them.Marrying into royalty didn’t help.I was imprisoned myself.First in the Forbidden City then as a prisoner of the communist guerillas.They wanted my husband, but when he fled and left me behind, they took me.I became the face for their hatred towards my husband’s position.I took it all, but it was not enough.We lost the country.Please forgive me, God.I tried.I tried my best.Dear God, I am but a sinner.Please forgive me.”Sonya sobbed and sobbed.She was dying.
The warm blood filled her mouth and warmed her throat. But it was too late. Sonya felt her life ebbing away. She would never see her child. Would never hold her infant.
“Please,” she said after gulping down some of the blood. “My child. My baby. Please, find my baby. Please take care of my little, innocent baby.” Blackness engulfed her and the kind woman’s face became a dark blur.
“There will be no need for me to tend to your child, dear Empress,” the kindly woman said. “You are a good and faithful woman.Your prayer and belief have given you a new life.You will get stronger. Now, you are weak. Your will has been broken. But you will get strong. Of that, I am certain. You will die...for a moment. Your physical body will change. You will change. And when you are reborn...like a phoenix from this very ditch, you will rise...and you will be victorious.”
“Who...?”Sonya muttered. “Who are you?”
“I am Sifu, your teacher, your mentor, your guardian angel...call me what you will.” She smiled as she patted Sonya’s hand.
I am Sifu. Sifu.
Sonya looked at her. The woman’s lips had not moved as she’d identified herself. And yet, Sonya had clearly heard the woman call herself Sifu.
Absolute blackness. The blackness went on as she fell deep into a coma-like state. There was movement all around her, but still she remained in the depth of darkness. Brief moments of wakefulness came and went. Voices, far away, and, at times, right beside her.
Finally feeling strong enough to rise, her eyes popped open, and her forced hibernation over. The floor seemed to move beneath her, rolling to one side only to roll back to the other.
Where was she?
Water...the sound of water, splashing, moving. Salt. Licking her lips, she tasted the salt in the air.
She sat up and looked around her. Lying on a narrow cot, she was in a small room with a tiny round window.
A boat? A ship?
But where to?
She would soon find out. The sudden call of orders and the rush of footsteps on the deck above, told her that many were busy getting to their tasks as they prepared to dock.
Sonya rose from her cot and looked at her attire. She had never seen the black pants before, nor the shirt, a light blue blouse with a bowtie. On the nightstand beside the bed lay a gray jacket, a beautiful brooch pinned to the breast pocket. Every piece of clothing was foreign to her, including the simple black shoes she slipped her feet into.
Mirror.Was there a mirror that she could see herself in?She looked around her room which was pleasant, luxurious even, with rich wood paneling and brass fixtures.The full-length mirror nailed to the wall at the middle of the room caught her eye.She walked over to look at herself closely.
She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.Her hair was full, curly, shiny, and voluptuous.Her skin pale, almost white.Her eyes were bright and wide, full of life.And her body was no longer resembling skin and bones, but flesh and muscles.She was still thin, but a healthy thin.
That old lady Sifu was right.She had grown stronger, healthier, and even more attractive.There was a glow to her, especially around her eyes.Her cheeks and lips even had a tint of red to them.While Sonya liked seeing what was in front of her, she suddenly felt alarmed.
What was she?
She walked to the door and opened it. The corridor was empty and silent. All the action was above her on deck. She walked up the narrow wooden steps and was blinded by the bright sun. But the sensation of fresh, salty air on her face was like heaven.
“Where are we?”she muttered as she looked at the unfamiliar surroundings.
“Sunny California,” a young sailor called out as he passed her by.
California? As in the United States?
How?
Other passengers lined up and prepared to disembark. Unsure what to do, Sonya got in line and followed the men and women before her.
Setting foot on American soil, she felt a strange and unexpected exaltation. America. She’d heard so much about the distant land where people were free, where people had rights, where citizens chose their leaders.
“Welcome to Los Angeles,” a young man said as he handed her a fresh daisy.
